umido
/ˈu.mi.do/
The English word 'dank' can be translated into Italian as umido.
umido is used to describe things that are dark, damp and humid.
Meaning: dark, damp and humid (adj)
Which one should you use?
While umido can translate to 'damp' or 'moist', it is the standard word used to describe the 'dank' sensation of humidity in the air or on surfaces.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective umido must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, changing to umida for feminine nouns. The adjective umido changes to umidi when modifying masculine plural nouns and umide when modifying feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable. The IPA is /ˈu.mi.do/.
Did you know?
- In Italy, the term l'umido is commonly used as a noun to refer to 'organic waste' or 'food scraps' in a recycling bin.
- Unlike English where 'dank' can now mean 'high quality' in slang, umido never carries a positive or 'cool' connotation in Italian.
- The phrase essere umidi can be used figuratively to describe someone who is 'sentimental' or 'tearful' in certain literary contexts.
Examples in context
- L'aria è molto umida.The air is very humid.
- Il seminterrato è molto umido.The basement is very damp.
- Non mi piace questo ambiente umido.I don't like this damp environment.
Example conversation
Matteo and Sofia are inspecting a small cellar in an old house.
- MatteoSofia, entra pure, ma fai attenzione.Sofia, go ahead and enter, but be careful.
- SofiaÈ davvero un posto molto umido, Matteo.It is a very damp place, Matteo.
- MatteoSì, l'aria è pesante qui dentro.Yes, the air is heavy in here.
- SofiaDobbiamo cambiare l'aria subito.We need to air it out immediately.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry umido, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
